New look Pakistan smartly clinched the two-match Dan Cake Test series 1-0 shooting down high-flying Bangladesh by 328 runs on the 4th day of the five-day affairs at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium in Mirpur on Saturday. With the day’s feat, Pakistan not only maintained their unbeaten record against Bangladesh in the 10th Test meeting between the two sides, but also overcame their shameful defeat against the Tigers in the just-concluded ODI series and T20 match. Pakistani ODI captain Azhar Ali, who scored a double century with 226 runs to guide Pakistan to score 557 for 8 (declared) in the first innings and also added 25 runs in team’s 195 for 6 declared in the 2nd innings in 2nd test, was adjudged the man of the match and man of the series. Earlier, Bangladesh scored 203 runs in the first innings riding on Shakib Al Hasan’s 89 runs. With a tough target of 550 runs, the Tigers resumed the 2nd innings on 4th day (Saturday) from an overnight 63 for 1, and were miserably bundled out for 221 runs before tea, Bangladeshi top order batsmen survive a little against Pakistani attack but lost wickets on regular intervals to suffer a heavy defeat in Test after whitewashing Pakistan series 3-0 in OD1 series and beating them in lone T20. Bangladesh batsman except one down Mominul Haque (86), opener Tamim Iqbal (42) and lower order Shuvagoto Hom( 39), failed to contribute for the team in a crucial stage as per their ability. Besides, opener Imrul Kayes (16), tail-ender Mohammad Shahid (not out 14), Shakib Al Hasan (13), Tajiul Islam (10) were the other major contributors for Bangladesh reaching the double figures. Bangladesh captain Mushfiqur Rahim was more careful, playing out eight scoreless deliveries, before he misjudged a Yasir leg-break and played it onto his stumps. Consistent Test match performer Mominul Haque furnished his 102-ball 68-run innings with nine boundaries on Saturday and emerged as the first Bangladeshi batsman to go past 50 in eleven consecutive Tests. Mominul prospered behind the wicket in particular, all but one of his nine boundaries coming in that region. His fifty, which came off 83 balls, made him the fifth player after Virender Sehwag, Gautam Gambhir, Viv Richards and AB de Villiers to hit half-centuries in 11 consecutive Tests. A heavy defeat was always likely, after the hosts had given up a 354-run first-innings lead, but they will be disappointed at the limp finish to what has otherwise been a heartening tour. The fourth day’s play began with Tamim Iqbal, who exercised more caution than he had done on the previous evening, but he was first back to the pavilion in the morning in Imran Khan’s first over adding only 10 runs to his previous 32. Yasir Shah was the primary threat in Pakistan’s attack, as he found bounce and turn from the footmarks to supplement his variation. He took 4 for 73 and induced plenty more edges and mis-hits that fell into space. Imran Khan claimed two for 56 and Wahab Riaz, Mohammad Hafeez and Junaid Khan took one apiece. — UNB, Dhaka.
